


[draft] a explanation of poor blood circulation, as well as raynaud's disease

by orphan_account



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9321104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: contains several parts. this is, as said in the title, an explanation of poor blood circulation, as well as raynaud's disease.





	

_ **POOR BLOOD CIRCULATION** _

_ **CONTENTS** _

  1. 1\. Symptoms of Poor Circulation
  2. 2\. Effects of Poor Blood Circulation
  3. 3\. Medical Causes of Poor Circulation
  4. 4\. What is Raynaud’s phenomenon?



 

 

_**Symptoms of Poor Circulation** _

The most common symptoms of poor circulation include:

  *  Numbness or loss of sensation or tingling in your hands, feet, or toes
  *  Change in skin temperature (cold hands, feet, legs, and ears)
  *  Fatigue (lack of or low energy)
  *  Hair loss
  *  Vertigo or dizziness
  *  Dry skin
  *  Edema or swelling in the feet legs and/or fingers
  *  Varicose veins, leg ulcers, and foot ulcers
  *  Headaches
  *  Muscle cramps and pain
  *  Dandruff
  *  Itching, especially itch skin or hands, legs, or feet
  *  Changes in the color of the skin (it becomes more pale, bluish, or reddish. Also known as cyanosis – an indication of inadequate oxygen deliver
  *  Cramping in legs, buttocks or feet during activity
  *  Lower leg pain or claudication
  *  Poor discernment of temperature and pain
  *  Skin breakdowns, infection and sores do not heal as well as they should
  *  Shortness of breath
  *  Irregular heart beats
  *  Sluggish memory
  *  Lack of stamina



 

 

_**Effects of Poor Blood Circulation** _

 

 

Poor blood circulation can impact the entire body including:

  *  EFFECTS UPON THE BRAIN
  *  Poor blood circulation, can impact the brain causing fatigue, dizziness, memory loss, and frequent and unexplained headaches.
  *  EFFECTS UPON THE HEART
  *  Poor blood circulation can have an impact on the heart, causing inability to perform simple aerobic activates like climbing stairs without breathlessness; high blood pressure and cholesterol, and chest pain can be other symptoms. Heart attack and stroke are major risks of poor circulation that remains untreated.
  *  EFFECTS UPON THE LIVER
  *  Symptoms of poor blood circulation in the liver can include lack of appetite or unexplained weight loss, and changes in skin tone.
  *  EFFECTS UPON THE KIDNEY
  *  Poor circulation to the kidneys are typically the result when there is swelling of the hands, feet and ankles, other symptoms can include fatigue, altered heart rate and rise in blood pressure
  *  EFFECTS UPON THE LIMBS
  *  With poor circulation, cramps in the limbs, numbness and varicose veins can appear as symptoms.



 

 

_**Medical Causes of Poor Circulation** _

Medical causes of poor circulation:

  *  Pregnancy
  *  Smoking
  *  Complications from flying
  *  Anxiety
  *  Diabetes
  *  Poor diet
  *  High cholesterol
  *  Thyroid disease
  *  Weight gain
  *  High blood pressure
  *  Obesity
  *  Heart disorders
  *  Circulatory disorders
  *  Blood vessel disorders
  *  Artery and vein disorders
  *  Arterial insufficiency/hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
  *  Intermittent claudication
  *  Thrombophlebitis
  *  Nerve disorders
  *  Anemia
  *  Asthma
  *  Bronchitis
  *  Pneumonia
  *  Blocked blood vessels
  *  Emphysema
  *  Eating disorders
  *  Food allergies



 

**What is Raynaud’s phenomenon?**

Raynaud’s phenomenon is a disorder that affects blood vessels, mostly in the fingers and toes. It causes the vessels to narrow when you are

  *  Cold
  *  Feeling stress



Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon happens on its own. Secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon happens along with some other health problem.

_RAYNAUD’S DISEASE IS A CONDITION THAT CAUSES PAIN THE EXTREMITIES WHEN EXPOSED TO COLD TEMPERATURES. BLOOD VESSELS, MOST COMMONLY IN THE FINGERS, ALMOST COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. DIGITS TURN FROM WHITE TO BLUE AND, FINALLY, AS THE BLOOD RETURNS, THEY FLUSH RED._   
_ACCORDING TO THE RAYNAUD’S ASSOCIATION, 5-10 PERCENT OF AMERICANS HAVE THE DISORDER, BUT ONLY 1 IN 5 SEEK TREATMENT. FEMALES ARE AN ESTIMATED NINE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED THAN MALES._

 

**WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF RAYNAUD’S PHENOMENON?**

The body saves heat when it is cold by slowing the supply of blood to the skin. It does this by making blood vessels narrower.  
With Raynaud’s phenomenon, the body’s reaction to cold or stress is stronger than normal. It makes blood vessels narrow faster and tighter than normal. When this happens, **it is called an “attack”.**

During an attack, the fingers and toes can change colors. They may go from white to blue to red. They may also feel cold and numb from lack of blood flow. As the attack ends and blood flow returns, fingers or toes can throb and tingle. **After the cold parts of the body warm up, normal blood flow returns in about 15 minutes.**

 

**WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RAYNAUD’S PHENOMENON?**

Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon is often so mild a person never seeks treatment.  
Secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon is more serious and complex. It is causes when diseases reduce blood flow to fingers and toes.

 

**HOW DOES A DOCTOR DIAGNOSE RAYNAUD’S PHENOMENON?**

It is fairly easy to diagnose Raynaud’s phenomenon. But it is harder to find out whether a person has the primary or the secondary form of the disorder. Doctors will diagnose which form it is using a complete history, an exam, and tests. Tests may include:

  *  Blood tests
  *  Looking at fingernail tissue with a microscope



 

**HOW TO REDUCE HOW LONG AND SEVERE ATTACKS ARE?**

To reduce how long and severe attacks are:

  *  Keep your hands and feet warm and dry
  *  Warm your hands and feet with warm water
  *  Avoid air conditioning
  *  Wear gloves to touch frozen or cold foods
  *  Wear many layers of loose clothing and a hat when it’s cold
  *  Use chemical warmers, such as small heating pouches that can be placed in pockets, mittens, boot, or shoes.
  *  Talk to your doctor before exercising outside in cold weather.
  *  Don’t smoke.
  *  Avoid medicines that make symptoms worse.
  *  Control stress.
  *  Exercise regularly.



**HOW AND WHERE, IS RAYNAUD’S DISEASE GENERALLY CAUSED?**

Raynaud’s disease generally strikes in colder weather and appears to affect people who live in colder climes more often.  
A cold snap triggers a vasospasm (a contraction of the blood vessels) in the fingers or toes. This contraction causes hypoxia (a deprivation of oxygen) to the affected tissues. The extremities will feel cold to the touch and possibly feel numb.

**Often, the affected area will turn white, then later turn blue. Once the area is warmed and blood flow returns, a tingling sensation may accompany a red flush and, possibly, swelling. A painful throbbing sensation may also occur.**

Toes and fingers are most commonly affected, but Raynaud’s can affect the **nose, lips, and ears.** **Rarely** the **nipples** are affected.

**HOW LONG DOES AN EPISODE LAST?**

An episode (or an attack) generally takes around 15 minutes to run its course, including the time it takes for the body to normalize.

**CAUSES OF RAYNAUD’S DISEASE?**

The exact mechanisms behind the disease are still unclear. **As far triggers, simply entering a cold region, opening the freezer, or putting hands in cold water can set off symptoms. For some people, stress can start an attack without an associated drop in temperature.** There are two types of Raynaud’s disease, primary and secondary. Primary Raynaud’s is most common and occurs without a secondary medical condition being present.

  *  INJURIES
  *  Raynaud’s has been known to start after injuries such as **frostbite, a broken wrist, or local surgery.**



On top of the risk factors mentioned above, Raynaud’s is also known to affect females more than males, **typically with an onset between the ages of 15 and 25 for the primary form and 35 or 40 for the secondary form.** Raynaud’s appears to run in families, individuals who have a first-degree relative with Raynaud’s are more likely to develop it.

In general, Raynaud’s **is not a life-threatening condition.** However, if symptoms worsen and blood supply is substantially reduced for prolonged periods of time, fingers and toes can become deformed.

For people with mild forms of Raynaud’s disease, simply covering exposed skin before leaving the house can be enough to treat most symptoms. If an attack occurs, soaking the hands (or feet) in warm (not hot) water can alleviate the symptoms and prevent them from worsening. If stress is a factor, learning to change the way a patient deals with stress can also be of benefit. However, for moderate to severe cases, medication can be effective in some cases:

  *  ALPHA BLOCKERS
  *  Norepinephrine constricts blood vessels and alpha blockers counteract some of norepinephrine’s actions. Examples include doxazosin and prazosin.
  *  CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS
  *  This class of drugs relax the smaller blood vessels of the hands and feet. Examples include amlodipine, nifiedipine, feldoipine.
  *  TOPICAL NITROGLYCERIN OINTMENT
  *  Nitroglycerin ointment applied to the affected area appears to relieve the symptoms of improving blood flow and cardiac output and decreasing blood pressure.
  *  VASODILATORS
  *  As the name suggests, these drugs dilate veins, easing symptoms. Examples include losartan, sildenafil (viagra), fluoxetine (Prozac), and prostaglandin.



Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) is a condition resulting in a particular series of discolorations of the fingers and/or the toes after exposure to changes in temperature (cold or hot) or emotional events. Most people with RP have sensitivity to cold. Skin discoloration occurs because an abnormal spasm of the blood vessels causes a diminished blood supply to the local tissues. **Initially, the digit(s) involved turn white because of the diminished blood supply. The digit(s) then turn blue because of prolonged lack of oxygen. Finally the blood vessels reopen, causing a local “flushing” phenomenon, which turns the digit(s) red. This three-phase color sequence (white to blue to red), most often upon exposure to cold temperature, is characteristic or RP.**

 **Risk factors** for Raynaud’s phenomenon include **injury from frostbite** as mentioned earlier, and **vibrating tools, medications (bleomycin [blenxane]), propranolol (Inderal) ergotamine), and having rheumatic diseases such as scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematous, Sjogren’s syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease and rheumatoid arthritis.**

Symptoms of RP depend on the severity, frequency, and duration of the blood vessel spasm. **Most patients with mild disease only notice skin discoloration upon cold exposure. They may also experience mild tingling and numbness of the involved digits(s) that will disappear once the color returns to normal. When blood-vessel spasms become more sustained, the sensory nerves become irritated by the lack of oxygen, and can cause pain in the involved digit(s). Rarely, poor oxygen supply to the tissue can cause the tips of the digits to ulcerate. Ulcerated digits can become infected.** With continued lack of oxygen, gangrene of the digits can occur. Less common areas of the body that can be affected by RP include the **nose, ears, and tongue.** While these areas rarely develop ulcers, they can be **associated with a sensation of numbness and pain.**

Management of Raynaud’s phenomenon involves preventing the spasm of the blood vessels by protecting the fingers and the toes from cold, trauma, infection. Medications that can aggravate blood vessel spasm should be avoided by patients with RP. In patients with persistent symptoms, medications that dilate the blood vessels can be administered. Patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon who have no symptoms other than the color changes of extremities may require only home-remedy measures to prevent complications. Prevention measures are important in primary and secondary RP regardless of the severity. Simple initial care involves keeping the body warm, especially the extremities. Warm clothing in colder environments is essential. Cotton globes can be helpful while searching the freezer, headwear can help the body retain heat by minimizing heat dissipation. Room temperatures should not be too cool. Rubber gloves protect the hands and prevent cooling while washing dishes. **Barefoot walking should be minimized.** Compression of the **blood vessels by** **tight-fitting wrist bands, rings, or footwear should be avoided.**

_ **Note** _

_Some energy companies offer some discounts on utility bills for those who suffer from Raynaud’s phenomenon because of the additional heating requirements. Those with RP should guard their hands and feet from direct trauma and wounds. Any wounds or infections should be treated early to prevent more serious infections. Avoiding emotional stresses and tools that vibrate the hand may reduce the frequency of attacks. BIOFEEDBACK can also help to decrease the severity and frequency of RP in some patients._

**Patients with persistent or bothersome symptoms may be helped by taking oral medications that open (dilate) blood vessels.** (Sometimes these medications are decreased or eliminated when the environment is warmer, such as during summer months). These include calcium antagonists, such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacoe), nicardipine (Cardene), nifiedipine (Procardia), and **other medicines used in blood pressure treatment, such as methyldopa (Aldomet) and prazosin (Minipress). Recent research has shown that the blood-pressure drug Losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar) can reduce the severity of episodes of RP.**

  
**Medications that thin the blood, such as low doses of aspirin or dipyridamole (persantine) are sometimes helpful.**


End file.
